11 Months.

This is hard to wrap my mind around. Just last night, Matt and I reminisced about the first couple of days in the hospital. The wallpaper on his phone still shows one of Emery's very first pictures. I've asked if he'd like to update it, but I think he secretly likes to pretend she's still that small. And now, I'm in the middle of planning her 1st birthday. People tell you how fast it goes. I probably hear it once a day. But boy, are they so right.

This little girl is such a joy. She will sit and have conversations with me, though we're not quite sure what she's saying. And she still hasn't said any distinct words yet. Da-da is universal for everything. She is very animated, very vocal, and very direct in how she feels. She's moved away from wanting to snuggle as much as she used to. She's getting too old for it, you know. But she still makes time for Murray.

We've finally mastered the sippy cup. She enjoys drinking water out of it between bites of peanut butter sandwiches. (who wouldn't?) While she's still taking her formula (drinking four 8 oz bottles a day!) it's nice to have that sippy to snack on (and is a great distraction in the car.)

Emery has had a very difficult time adjusting to shoes. Which basically means...Emery does not wear shoes. But as of the beginning of August, she has started to walk! As of the past 3 days, she's wanting to walk more than crawl - unless she had to move from one side of the house to the other. Then she realizes crawling saves much more time. Her little wobbly legs might be my favorite thing in the world. Shoes will be a necessity very soon.

She has new tricks, too. Lately, she's been making dozens of sounds and noises with her mouth. Some of them Matt even has a hard time mimicking. Her coolest new trick (in my opinion) is the ability to flip her tongue over. She walks around the house like this..

Thankful for another month of new things with this little girl. She makes this life so much sweeter, and I am beyond blessed to be her momma.

**Off topic, I've made a new blog. Lots of things stirring in my head...but want to start adding more about our family, life around us, and projects I'm working on in between**  :)

10 Months & Lots of Photos

I just looked over the past few posts of Emery, and it makes me laugh. She looks so different with each passing month. Especially her hair - it has gotten so long! Some moments, I wonder if I should give her bangs a little trim...but they just look so cute pulled back in a bow.

Emery continues to bring so much joy to our whole family. New things: she's become a pro at opening up the cabinet doors. (Cabinet latches were purchased yesterday.) She waves hello & goodbye to everyone she meets. She still uses "da-da" to pronounce every word we try to teach her. I've heard a couple "la-la's" come out...but I think I'm just giving up on "momma."

If you ask her how big she is, she'll stretch her arms in the air like this to show you. We respond with "WOW! You are soo big!" Adorable! She also knows where to pat when you ask her where her head is!

Recently, she enjoys playing with puzzles. She hasn't quite grasped the concept, but it definitely keeps her occupied.

And she's still giving kisses. Even to the puzzle pieces.

Emery loves to sample everything we're eating. Her current favorites are mandarin oranges & ice cream. She's quite the little copy cat, too...trying to imitate the same noises she hears. Her faces and gestures and poses are so funny. We're constantly laughing at her silliness.

She also just found out she is going to be a big sister soon. If she loves on this new little baby like she does her stuffed animals, she's going to be the best big sister there is.

I've started to plan her 1st birthday party. Less than 2 month. Sigh...that's all I have to say about that.

9 Months Old...And So Affectionate

Each photo session to mark Emery's next month of life is always entertaining. This time, however, probably tops my favorite so far.

Emery has almost experienced more life outside of my belly than in it (we're just a week shy. oohhh the memories of that last [extra] week of waiting for her..) In these last few weeks, I've really watched her grow. She now knows how to clap her hands. She's learning the meaning of "that's not Emery's" & "that's yucky" & "please don't put that dust bunny in your mouth." :) My sister - whom we have living with us for the summer - has also played such a huge part in Emery's development lately. They're always laughing about something..or learning how to dance (sway) to music. My sister technically even taught her how to clap. It's the sweetest thing to see & Emery really loves her.

My favorite thing recently is the love that Emery gives to people. This girl likes to kiss. And while one day I may feel very differently about it - I'm enjoying the abundant amount of kisses that she not only gives me, but all the people who play such an important role in her life. It's like she knows exactly who will pour into her, hang out with her, and probably buy her things in the future. Smart girl, if you ask me :)

Over the past few days, she's even started to show affection to her pack-n-play friends. Please enjoy:

Thank God for this little girl :)

8 months old...and some change.

Every single day I've been telling myself to blog - and more than 2 weeks later, I'm here. Finally.

Emery is officially a cruiser. She loves to pull herself up on things and go. She sometimes stands using only one hand to support herself. She has two bottom teeth & more on the way. She's hardly been fussy at all during her teething experience. Thank you, Lord.

She makes the cutest faces, says "da-da" over and over and over and over...even when I try so very hard to push "momma." She enjoys bath time. Her favorite foods are sweet potatoes and any kind of fruit. Though she is on the move, she still finds time to cuddle with her momma...even though the moments are few & far between. We'd like to think she's starting to sing, as she belts out extended "ahh's" while the music is playing in the car. (We're still working on pitch.) She smacks her lips when I'm eating something - just to let me know that she'd like a taste.

All in all, she just keeps getting more and more awesome. I don't have the slightest complaint. She's still sleeping 12+ hours, still taking two solid naps during the day. Still loves to laugh and play. We are so very thankful.

Seven Months.

It's still unbelievable how quickly this little girl is growing and developing. Without whining too much about it...I'll give you a little update on where and how Emery is. We had a little photo shoot a couple of days ago, so please enjoy her cuteness as you read.

Emery really loves textures. Whether it be grass, tile floors, or my head of hair, she's always got her hands on something. She recently figured out how to hold her own bottle, which has been SUCH a help to me. I'm really just proud of her. :)

She LOVES to wear dresses and skirts. Especially when we play peek-a-boo. Too cute. She still continues to put everything in her mouth and we're still waiting for a tooth to bust through. She's soaking those dresses and skirts as she sucks on them :)

She is crawling and scooting across the house. Rolling is a thing of the past. Last night, she PULLED HERSELF UP by grabbing my knee. And if we prop her against something, she grabs on all by herself and stands there. There is no such thing as a barricade anymore, either. This girl can climb over anything.

She's doing so great with her solids. It was a rocky start, but we've finally got the hang of it. She wants to try everything I'm eating and drinking. Her curious little face is the best.

There are so many moments throughout my day when I am so completely blown away with how lucky I am to have such a sweet little girl. She hangs out with me all day long, sits with me when the day is difficult, and loves on me when God knows its all I need. I am so so very thankful. Every single day, I am more thankful.

Love her to death.

Six Months.

Today, Emery is 6 months old! This morning she had her 3rd round of shots, which she gets better and better at enduring! She's 14 lbs 2 oz (10%-25%) and 26 1/4" long (75%).

Emery laughs a lot. She's most ticklish under her chin and around her little thighs. She likes playing with rattles and sticking everything in her mouth. We're anticipating some teeth soon, as she CONSTANTLY drools all over everything and everyone. Everyone thinks she's the cutest and is regularly called "handsome" if momma forgets her hair bow. She's also told very often how "petite" she is. She's rolling over like a champ, and even scooting to things that are out of her reach - even if they're across the room! She's a few weeks into eating solids and so far so good. She loves to stand and bounce up and down and has recently started sitting up on her own. And lastly, she sleeps around 12 hours a night...my fav.

She also loves this little teddy. And I've been waiting a long time for this...

Such a blessing, this little one.

Babydolls, Ribbons, and Gags.

I'd like to think I'm a pretty laid back momma. There aren't too many things that make me paranoid, lose my cool, or freak out. It helps that Emery has been such an incredibly easy child, too. Today, however, I was tested.

This past week, she's been sitting up on her own pretty well. Today I decided to try out her pack 'n play while I did some cleaning. I threw in a few toys and baby dolls with her and she was loving it - singing and talking as her toy selection was seemingly endless.

Recently, she's started this funny little fake cough. I can't explain it any better than that. But she'll be sitting in my lap (or anyone's, really) and just start this little dramatic throat cough. Totally fake and totally cute. This afternoon, I thought I heard her doing her normal thing...until it then turned into a gag. I calmly walked over to her and noticed this little number in her hand:

Crazy, right? Well it gets better. After my finger in her throat, some throwing up, and a little pep talk from my own mother, we managed to get it out. Not only did she let go of part of the tag, but a ribbon she managed to swallow, too:

So impressive. She tired herself out - going down for a nap immediately after. And I had to take a little breather as well.

Minor heart attack #1...check.